Registering cylindrical form



I i J Feb. 8, 1955 A. K. TAYLOR 2,701,521

REGISTERING CYLINDRICAL FORM K if Filed ,Sept. 15, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W r/gr 4 arfhur 727/0) w zw Feb. 8, 1955 A. K. TAYLOR 2,701,521

REGISTERING CYLINDRICAL FORM Filed Sept. 15, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "an smaz-S ar/har K Tgy/or United States Patent C) REGISTERING CYLINDRICAL FORM Arthur K. Taylor, Baltimore, Md.

Application September 15, 1949, Serial No. 115,796

15 Claims. (Cl. 101-174) This invention relates to an apparatus for registering plate cylinders or impression members in cylindrical forms.

On multi-color presses, the impression members must be arranged on the cylinders so that they register exactly with a lay out copy or registering detail previously made. When the impression members are large it has been the practice heretofore to obtain as accurate register as possible by various measuring devices, by measuring from the bearer rings at the ends of the cylinders. Applicants prior Patent 1,690,143 of November 6, 1928 disclosed a device for registering forms when the forms were removed from the cylinders.

The present invention utilizes the transparent reflector first used by applicant for registering fiat forms in his Patent No. 2,289,557 of July 14, 1942. As that patent has revolutionized the art of registering fiat forms it is believed that the instant invention will prove most advantageous and easily operated for the registering of cylindrical forms whether on the press or on separate mountings. Among the objects of the invention are to produce a registering device that is most simple and inexpensive to make and operate. Another object of the invention is to make an apparatus which may be transferred from one set of color rolls of a multicolor press to another. As it may be transferred from one set to another it may be removed from the press completely after the plates on the cylinders have all been adjusted to register so that it will not in any manner interfere with or be in the way of the operation of the machine. Another object of the invention is to make a registering apparatus which will be absolutely accurate in obtaining correct register of all plates after the registering detail or lay out copy or copies have been made up.

Another object of the invention is to arrange for the illumination of the detail and the plates on the respective cylinders and to balance the illumination of these objects on the two surfaces, so that both the view through, and the reflected image on, the transparent reflector may be balanced in such a way as to give complete sharpness of view in order to obtain complete accuracy of registration. In actual practice a plurality of lay outs are struck, or they could be drawn, all exactly alike, and these are placed on the respective impression cylinders and then the first and succeeding plate cylinders are registered seriatum with the detail on the uniform lay out as it has been applied to each of the impression cylinders in succession. It is apparent that the movable impression member after its image is in accurate register with the view of the registering detail may be fixed permanently to the impression cylinder by the usual means available for that purose.

D Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings forming apart thereof and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a fragmentary view of a plate and impression cylinder showing the registering apparatus mounted in front of them.

Figure 2 is an end view similar to Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the registering apparatus mounted above the impression cylinder.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of the mounting means for the registering apparatus.

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the registering apparatus.

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Figure 6 is an end elevational view of the lamp holder.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of the lamps and their circuits.

In the drawings similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In a multi-color press there are a plurality of pairs of plate and impression cylinders and in the drawing of this invention one pair is shown. The plate cylinder 1 has a plurality of plates 2 thereon and the plates have impression members 3 thereon. These plates may be removed from and attached to the cylinder 1 in any desired position. The impression cylinder 4 has thereon a sheet of paper 5 having drawn or imprinted thereon registering details 6 with which the impression members 3 on the plate cylinder must register precisely. The two cylinders or rolls 1 and 4 have gears of equal diameter 7 and 8 at their ends by which the rolls are rotated through equal arcs on shafts 7-and 8 and they likewise have bearer rings 9 and 9' which are intended to be kept in contact, those on one roll with those on the other, this structure being old in the art. The rolls are of equal diameter at their bearing rings. The impression surface of the impression member 3 is intended to have the same radius from the center of the roll as the surface of the registering detail 6 on the paper 5 and the bearer rings are utilized in maintaining these two surfaces in exact alignment therewith.

The registering apparatus consists of a transparent reflector 10 which may be composed of a sheet of glass 11 having thereon a thin coat of silver 12 and placed thereover is a protecting sheet of glass 13. This refiector is mounted in a frame 14 having preferably three supporting brackets 15 thereon. The two rear supporting brackets rest on rear rod 16 and the forward supporting bracket rests on forward supporting rod 17, the rods thus constituting a frame supporting the transparent reflector. Surrounding the transparent reflector are the sides 18 notched forwardly at 19 to go around forward rod 17, and notched upwardly intermediately at 20 to rest over rear rod 16 On the rear of the two sides 18 is the lamp holder 21 having lamps 22 and 23 therein. In order to prevent the upper and lower surfaces of the lamp holder 21 from becoming too hot, guards 24 are placed between the lamps and the upper and lower extremities of the holder. The circuit for carrying current to the lamps has, in series within the lamps, a rheostat 25 operated by knob 26 so that the degree of illumination of the two lamps can be varied, while increasing that of one, decreasing that of the other.

The rod 16 has pins 27 in each end which fit in aligned sockets 28 in the sides 29 of the press. The pins 27 have screws 30 therein which slide in slots 31, the pins being retractable in sockets 32 in the shaft 16 against the pressure of the spring 33 by means of the screw 30. Slot 31 joins a circumferential slot 34 in the rod 16 so that the pin 27 may be locked back in its retracted position by circumferentially turning screw 30 in slot 34.

Rod 16 has thereon arms 35 fixed near its ends by set screw 36. These arms 35 support the forward rod 17 and the arms have therein at their forward ends axles 37 on which rolls 38 are mounted to roll upon bearer rings 9.

Rods 16 and 17 form a frame for the transparent refiector which is so positioned that the center or silvered surface of the reflector is in the plane of a tangent to the two cylinders at the point of contact of the impression member with the detail, this being the same plane as that determined by the bearer rings as a tangent to them. Since the two rolls or cylinders 1 and 4 are of the same diameter, or of equal radii to these critical surfaces, it will also be apparent that another means of locating the plane would be to say that it is midway between the rolls and at right angles to the plane passing through the axes of the shafts of the two parallel rolls or cylinders.

The objects on the respective cylinders, the detail on cylinder 4 and the members on cylinder 1 must be made to register exactly on the line of contact which would be the line of the plane containing the axes of the shafts of the two cylinders, this line being the point of maximum impression. As shown in Figure 2 an operator may view the detail on the cylinder 4 through the transparent reflector and if the impression members on the cylinder 1 are in exact register, or would be in exact register upon rotating both cylinders simultaneously through equal arcs, then the image of the impression members on cylinder 1 W111 exactly coincide with the view of the detail seen through the transparent reflector on the cylinder 4, that is the lines of vision and projection will come to points as illustrated in this Figure 2. If on first attempting reglster it be found that the image does not coincide with the view of the detail then the impression member must be moved until the image of the impression member 3 coincides and after the coincidence is achieved the plate bearing the member is fixedly secured to the plate cylmder 1.

Accurate illumination of both cylinders and of the objects on one which are being viewed and the images of the objects on the other which are being viewed, require lights provided both above and below the transparent reflector and the degree of illumination given by either light may be varied in case the other light in the room might tend to illuminate one surface more than the other so that an accurate view of the register on the transparent reflector may always be obtained.

The whole of the registering apparatus may be removed from one pair of rolls and used on another pair simply by withdrawing the pins 27 in the ends of rods 16 after accurate registry of the plates on cylinder 1 has been obtained, the same registering apparatus may be used successively on the same press on the other color plate cylinders and after the whole press has had its plates registered, the registering apparatus may be removed before the run is made.

The operation of the registering apparatus will be apparent from the above description and it will likewise be apparent that many modifications may be made in the most simple apparatus without departing from the invention.

What is claimed as new and is desired as Letters Patent 1s:

1. Apparatus for registering cylindrical impression members comprising, in combination, a frame, a cylindrical support for impression members having movable impression members thereon, an adjacent second cylindrical support having registering detail thereon, parallel axial shafts in said frame on which said supports rotate, said supports having equal radii to the outer surfaces of the members and detail and being connected to rotate through equal arcs together, a rod mounted in said frame adjacent and parallel to said supports, a flat transparent reflector mounted closely adjacent said supports on said rod substantially to one side of a plane between said shafts and lying in a plane which extends midway between and parallel to said shafts and perpendicular to the plane in which the shafts lie, portions of the objects on one of said supports being viewable directly through the transparent reflector, which, at the same time directly reflects images of portions of the objects on the other of said supports, whereby, upon adjustment of the members, the view and the image of the objects may be made to coincide the portions of the object viewed and reflected being located on the quadrants of the two cylindrical supports which are adjacent to and disposed on opposite sides of the said plane which extends midway between and parallel to said shafts.

2. Apparatus for registering cylindrical impression members comprising, in combination, a frame, a cylindrical support for impression members having movable impression members thereon, an adjacent second cylindrical support having registering detail thereon, parallel axial shafts in said frame on which said supports rotate, said supports having equal radii to the outer surfaces of the members and detail and being connected to rotate through equal arcs together, a rod mounted in said frame adjacent, parallel to and extending lengthwise of said supports, a relatively small transparent reflector slidably mounted on said rod lengthwise of and closely adjacent said supports substantially to one side of a plane between said shafts and lying in a plane which extends midway between and parallel to said shafts and perpendicular to the plane in which the shafts lie, portions of the objects on one of said supports being viewable directly through the transparent reflector, which, at the same time directly drical support for impression members having movable. impression members thereon, an ad acent second cy1m-' drical support having registering detail thereon, parallel axial shafts in said frame on which said supports rotate, said supports having equal radii to the outer surfaces of the members and detail and being connected to rotate through equal arcs together, a rod mounted in said frame adjacent and parallel to said supports, a fiat transparent reflector mounted closely adjacent said supports on said rod substantially to one side of :a 'plane between said shafts and lying in a plane which extends midway between and parallel to said shafts and perpendicular to the plane in which the shafts lie, portions of the objects on one of said supports being viewable directly through the transparent reflector, which, at the same time directly reflects images of portions of the objects on the other of said supports, whereby, upon adjustment of the members, the view and the image of the objects may be made to coincide the portions of the object viewed and reflected being located on the quadrants of the two cylindrical supports which are adjacent to and disposed on opposite sides of the said plane which extends midway between and parallel to said shafts and means to illuminate said members and detail adjacent said transparent reflector.

4. Apparatus for registering cylindrical impression members comprising, in combination, a frame, a cylindrical support for impression members having movable impression members thereon, an adjacent second cylindrical support having registering detail thereon, parallel axial shafts in said frame on which said supports rotate, said supports having equal radii to the outer surfaces of the members and detail and being connected to rotate through equal arcs together, a rod mounted in said frame adjacent and parallel to said supports, a flat transparent reflector mounted closely adjacent said supports on said rod substantially to one side of a plane between said shafts and lying in a plane which extends midway between and parallel to said shafts and perpendicular to the plane in which the shafts lie, portions of the objects on one of said supports being viewable directly through the transparent reflector, which, at the same time directly reflects images of portions of the objects on the other of said supports, whereby, upon adjustment of the members, the view and the image of the objects may be made to coincide, the portions of the object viewed and reflected being located on the quadrants of the two cylindrical supports which are adjacent to and disposed on opposite sides of the said plane which extends midway between and parallel to said shafts, means to illuminate said members and detail adjacent said transparent reflector and means to increase the illumination of either the members or the detail, and simultaneously to decrease the illumination of the other.

5. Apparatus for registering cylindrical impression members comprising, in combination, a frame, a cylindrical support for impression members having movable impression members thereon, an adjacent second cylindrical support having registering detail thereon, parallel axial shafts in said frame on which said supports rotate, said supports having equal radii to the outer surfaces of the members and detail, means to rotate said supports through equal arcs simultaneously, a rod mounted in said frame adjacent and parallel to said supports, a flat transparent reflector releasably mounted closely adjacent said supports on said rod substantially to one side of a plane between said shafts and lying in a plane which extends midway between and parallel to said shafts and perpendicular to the plane in which the shafts lie, portions of the objects on one of said supports being viewable directly through the transparent reflector, which, at the same time directly reflects images of portions of the objects on the other of said supports, whereby, upon adjustment of the members, the view and the image of the objects may be made to coincide the portions of the objects viewed and reflected being located on the quadrants of the two cylindrical supports which are ad acent to and disposed on opposite sides of the said plane which extends midway between and parallel to said shafts.

6. Apparatus for registering cylindrical impression members comprising, in combination, a cylindrical support for impression members having movable impresslon members thereon, an adjacent second cylindrical support having registering detail thereon, parallel axial shafts on which said supports rotate, one of said supports having bearer rings at its ends, said supports having equal radn to the outer surfaces of the members and detail, a frame adjacent said supports having arms extending inwardly between said supports and riding on said bearer rings during the rotation of the supports, a flat transparent reflector mounted closely adjacent said supports on said frame and lying in a plane which extends midway between and parallel to said shafts and perpendicular to the plane in which the shafts lie, portions of the objects on one of said supports being viewable directly through the transparent reflector, which, at the same time directly reflects images of portions of the objects on the other of said supports, whereby, upon adjustment of the members, the view and the image of the objects may be made to coincide the portions of the object viewed and reflected being located on the quadrants of the two cylindrical supports which are adjacent to and disposed on opposite sides of the said plane which extends midway between and parallel to said shafts.

7. Apparatus for registering cylindrical impression members comprising, in combination, a cylindrical support for impression members having movable impression members thereon, an adjacent second cylindrical sup port having registering detail thereon, parallel axial shafts on which said supports rotate, one of said supports having bearer rings at its ends, said supports having equal radii to the outer surfaces of the members and detail, a frame adjacent and extending lengthwise of said supports, said frame having arms extending inwardly between said supports and riding on said bearer rings during the rotation of the supports, a relatively small transparent reflector slidable on said frame lengthwise of and closely adjacent said supports and lying in a plane which extends midway between and parallel to said shafts and perpendicular to the plane in which the shafts lie, portions of the objects on one of said supports being viewable directly through the transparent reflector, which, at the same time directly reflects images of portions of the objects on the other of said supports, whereby, upon adjustment of the members, the view and the image of the objects may be made to coincide the portions of the object viewed and reflected being located on the quadrants of the two cylindrical supports which are adjacent to and disposed on opposite sides of the said plane which extends midway between and parallel to said shafts.

8. Apparatus for registering cylindrical impression members comprising, in combination, a cylindrical support for impression members having movable impression members thereon, an adjacent second cylindrical support having registering detail thereon, parallel axial shafts on which said supports rotate, one of said supports having bearer rings at its ends, said supports having equal radii to the outer surfaces of the members and detail, means to rotate said supports through equal arcs simultaneously, a frame adjacent and extending lengthwise of said supports, said frame having arms extending inwardly between said supports and riding on said bearer rings during the rotation of the supports, a relatively small transparent reflector slidable on said frame lengthwise of and closely adjacent said supports and lying in a plane which extends midway between and parallel to said shafts and perpendicular to the plane in which the shafts lie, portions of the objects on one of said supports being viewable directly through the transparent reflector, which, at the same time directly reflects images of portions of the objects on the other of said supports, whereby, upon adjustment of the members, the view and the image of the objects may be made to coincide the portions of the object viewed and reflected being located on the quadrants of the two cylindrical supports which are adjacent to and disposed on opposite sides of the said plane which extends midway between and parallel to said shafts, and means to illuminate aaid members and detail adjacent said transparent reector.

9. In combination with a printing press having an impression cylinder and a cooperating plate cylinder in which plates on the plate cylinder make impressions on stock on the impression cylinder at their line of contact and in which the plates are to be registered with detail on the impression cylinder, the radii of the two cylinders at their line of contact being equal, said cylinders being connected to rotate through equal arcs together, a frame mounted in said press adjacent said cylinders, and a transparent reflector supported on said frame and between the cylinders and lying in the plane of a tangent to said cylinders at their line of contact, the plates being viewable directly through, and the detail reflected directly upon, said reflector, whereby by movements of the plates, they register on the reflector with the detail, the portions of the plates viewed and the detail reflected being located on the quadrants of the two cylinders which are adjacent to and disposed on opposite sides of said plane, said frame being readily removable from between the cylinders after the plates are registered with the detail.

10. In combination with a'printing press having an impression cylihder and a cooperating plate cylinder in which plates on the plate cylinder make impressions on stock on the impression cylinder at their line of contact and in which the plates are to be registered with detail on the impression cylinder, theradii of the two cylinders at their line of contact being equal, said cylinders being connected to rotate through equal arcs together, a frame mounted in said press extending parallel to, and to one side of said cylinders, a relatively small transparent reflector supported on said frame and between the cylinders and lying in the plane of a tangent to said cylinders at their line of contact, said transparent reflector being slidable on said frame longitudinally of said cylinders, the plates being viewable directly through, and the detail reflected directly upon, said reflector, whereby by movements of the plates, they register on the reflector with the detail, the portions of the plates viewed and the detail reflected being located on the quadrants of the two cylinders which are adjacent to and disposed on opposite sides of said plane, said frame being readily removable from between the cylinders after the plates are registered with the detail.

11. In combination with a printing press having an impression cylinder and a cooperating plate cylinder in which plates on the plate cylinder make impression on stock on the impression cylinder at their line of contact and in which the plates are to be registered with detail on the impression cylinder, the radii of the two cylinders at their line of contact being equal, said cylinders being connected to rotate through equal arcs together, a frame mounted in said press adjacent said cylinders, a transparent reflector supported on said frame and between the cylinders and lying in the plane of a tangent to said cylinders at their line of contact and means to illuminte said cylinders adjacent said transparent reflector, the plates being viewable directly through, and the detail reflected directly upon, said reflector, whereby by movements of the plates, they register on the reflector with the detail, the portions of the plates viewed and the detail reflected being located on the quadrants of the two cylinders which are adjacent to and disposed on opposite sides of said plane, said frame being readily removable from between the cylinders after the plates are registered with the detail.

12. In combination with a printing press having an impression cylinder and a cooperating plate cylinder in which plates on the plate cylinder make impressions on stock on the impression cylinder at their line of contact and in which the plates are to be registered with detail on the impression cylinder, the radii of the two cylinders at their line of contact being equal, means to rotate said cylinders through equal arcs simultaneously, a frame detachably mounted in the press adjacent said cylinders, and a transparent reflector supported on said frame and between the cylinders and lying in the plane of a tangent to said cylinders at their line of contact, the plates being viewable directly through, and the detail reflected directly upon, said reflector, whereby by movements of the plates,

they register on the reflector with the detail, the portions of the plates viewed and the detail reflected being located on the quadrants of the two cylinders which are adjacent to and disposed on opposite sides of said plane, said frame being readily removable from between the cylinders after the plates are registered with the detail.

13. In combination with a printing press havingan impression cylinder and a cooperating plate cylinder in which plates on the plate cylinder register with impressions on stock on the impression cylinder at their line of contact, parallel axial shafts on which said cylinders rotate, one of said cylinders having bearer rings thereon, said\ cylinders having equal radii at the outer surfaces of the plates and stock, a frame adjacent said cylinders having arms extending inwardly between the cylinders and riding on said bearer rings during rotation of the cylinders, a flat transparent reflector mounted closely adjacent the cylinders on said frame and lying in the plane of a tangent to said cylinders at their line of contact, the plates being viewable directly through, and the impressions reflected directly upon said reflector whereby, by movements of the plates, they register on the reflector with the impressions, the portions of the plates viewed and of the impressions reflected being located on the quadrants of the two cylinders which are adjacent to and disposed on opposite sides of said plane.

14. In combination with a printing press having an impression cylinder and a cooperating plate cylinder in which plates on the plate cylinder register with impressions on stock on the impression cylinder at their line of contact, parallel axial shafts on which said cylinders rotate, one of said cylinders having bearer rings thereon, said cylinders having equal radii at the outer surfaces of the plates and stock, a frame adjacent and extending lengthwise of said cylinders, having arms extending inwardly between the cylinders and riding on said bearer rings during rotation of the cylinders, a relatively small flat transparent reflector mounted closely adjacent the cylinders on said frame and slidable lengthwise of said cylinders, said reflector lying in the plane of a tangent to said cylinders at their line of contact, the plates being viewable directly through, and the impressions reflected directly upon said reflector whereby, by movements of the plates, they register on the reflector with the impressions, the portions of the plates viewed and of the impressions reflected being located on the quadrants of the two cylinders which are adjacent to and disposed on opposite sides of said plane.

15. In combination with a printing press having an impression cylinder and a cooperating plate cylinder in which plates on the plate cylinder register with impressions on stock on the impression cylinder at their line of contact, parallel axial shafts on which said cylinders rotate, one of said cylinders having bearer rings thereon, said cylinders having equal radii at the outer surfaces of the plates and stock, means to rotate said cylinders through equal arcs simultaneously, a frame adjacent and extending lengthwise of said cylinders, having arms extending inwardly between the cylinders and riding on said bearer rings duringrotation of the cylinders, a relatively small flat transparent reflector mounted closely adjacent the cylinders on said frame and slidable lengthwise of said cylinders, said reflector lying in the plane of a tangent to said cylinders at their line of contact, the plates being viewable directly through, and the impressions reflected directly upon said reflector whereby, by movements of the plates, they register on the reflector with the impressions, the portions of the plates viewed and of the impressions reflected being located on the quadrants of the two cylinders which are adjacent to and disposed on opposite sides of said plane and means to illuminate said cylinders adjacent said transparent reflector.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 935,907 Harris Oct. 5, 1909 1,690,143 Taylor Nov. 6, 1928 2,172,279 Hamilton Sept. 5, 1939 2,231,187 Hawley Feb. 11, 1941 2,289,557 Taylor July 14, 1942 2,334,821 Hawley Nov. 23, 1943 2,342,560 Slonczewski Feb. 22, 1944 2,452,373 Harley Oct. 26, 1948 2,492,798 Harley Dec. 27, 1949 2,493,628 Harley Jan. 3, 1950 2,561,115 Harley July 17, 1951 

